We’ve seen endless GOP primaries, landmark Supreme Court decisions, congressional gridlock, Secret Service agents getting busy in Colombia, Donald Trump’s $5 million transcripts bribe, a recall election in Wisconsin, a former presidential candidate on trial, the rise of super PAC power and a lauded general brought down by a sex scandal.

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We’re exhausted just thinking about it. And as a reward for weathering the storm, we decided it might be a good time to look back at some of the lighter — and more delicious — things that happened in Washington this year. Here’s our guide to some of the tastiest spots that opened in 2012 that you might have missed.

Mintwood Place

Adams Morgan. The name alone conjures all sorts of imagery, most of it associated with long nights of drinking at one of the countless bars up and down 18th Street Northwest. But lively neighborhood restaurants serving excellent food? Not so much.

That was, until Mintwood Place opened.

Jeremy Brosowsky, a local resident and frequent diner, said, “Mintwood Place manages to feel like a really good restaurant that happens to be in our neighborhood — and like a really good neighborhood restaurant.”

“Mintwood is like a favorite pair of jeans,” he continued. “You know, the ones you can dress up with a jacket or down with a T-shirt and sneakers. Saturday night out? Quick bite at the bar? Sunday brunch? It’s a terrific resource.”

And that’s exactly what chef Cedric Maupillier wants it to be.

Maupillier, whose kitchen credentials include opening the James Beard Award-winning Central Michel Richard, set out to open his own restaurant back in 2010. After a couple of setbacks and a stint as consulting chef at Cleveland Park’s Medium Rare, he finally found the right project and partner in Saied Azali, the owner of Mintwood’s upstairs neighbor, Perry’s.

“What I thought about this neighborhood is that one side had money and one side had frat boys, which is not true,” said Maupillier. “They come here during the weekends, but they don’t live here. Tons of young professionals live here, and now, I see a lot of people that age coming in here to have dinner.”